On August 3, Chinese Communist Party Politburo Standing Committee member Cai Qi visited experts in Beidaihe, leading to speculation that the secretive Beidaihe Conference time has arrived. Amidst the tense situation in China, a video circulating online showed a man in Yunnan holding up a sign calling for CCP leader Xi Jinping to step down, sparking attention.
On August 7, a video went viral on the overseas social platform X, showing a man outside the Kunming Anti-Japanese War Victory Memorial Hall holding a banner that read “Xi Jinping, Step Down”.
The video showed a young man in a white t-shirt, grey shorts, glasses, holding a white banner with black lettering reading “Xi Jinping, Step Down” in front of his chest. Many onlookers were filming the scene. A security personnel with a red armband on an electric scooter stopped in front of the man but did not intervene, seemingly reporting the situation on a phone.
Due to the Chinese government’s censorship, Epoch Times is unable to confirm the specific timing of this event or the identity of the individuals involved.
On X, netizens praised the man holding the banner as a “warrior”: “Well done!” “Another brave soul!” “This nation has never lacked heroes, possessing the courage to confront evil. Thumbs up for the young man and his brave act.”
Activist Zhou Fengsu expressed, “‘Xi Jinping, Step Down!’ Salute to the Kunming warrior.”
Some expressed concerns for the man’s safety: “Brave warrior, he might disappear again, please pay attention to his safety!”
Others boldly stated that not only should Xi Jinping step down, but the Communist Party as a whole should step down: “It should be the CCP stepping down.”
In recent years, the crisis of the Chinese Communist regime has deepened, especially amidst the economic decline, leading to widespread discontent and ongoing protests.
On January 13, 2022, a man in Shenzhen’s Luohu district held a banner calling for “Toppling Xi Jinping! Opposing Constitutional Amendments.” He was hailed by some netizens and media as the “Luohu Warrior.”
Before the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party, citizen Peng Lifa (online name Peng Zaizhou) hung banners on Sitoqiao Bridge in Beijing on October 13, 2022, advocating for various demands including “No nucleic acid tests but to eat, no lockdowns but freedom; no lies but dignity, no Cultural Revolution but reform; no leaders but votes, be citizens not slaves,” and “Strike, boycott, recall the dictatorial traitor Xi Jinping,” among others.
Subsequently, during the “Blank Page Movement” against epidemic control measures at the end of 2022, the public openly called for “Overthrow the Communist Party” and “Xi Jinping, Step Down.”
In the past two years, there have been individuals emulating Peng Lifa. On July 30, 2024, 22-year-old university student Fang Yirong in Xinhua County, Loudi, Hunan, hung banners on a bridge, mimicking the Beijing Sitoqiao protest event, using a loudspeaker to express dissatisfaction with CCP’s autocratic rule. Fang Yirong was later arrested by the authorities.
On April 15 of this year, someone hung anti-Communist banners on an overpass in Chengdu, Sichuan, stating, “The people do not need an unconstrained party in power.” It was revealed that the hero who hung the banners, 27-year-old Mei Shilin, has been detained by the CCP.
On July 12, Taiwanese anti-Communist internet celebrity Bajiong released a video on overseas social media showing Hebei youth Zhang Qiyuan seeking help. Zhang Qiyuan was summoned by the local police station after opposing Xi Jinping in a live stream and issued a declaration of not committing suicide or compromising. Zhang Qiyuan subsequently went missing.